The invention relates generally to a method, system and computer program product for deleting a content element of a chat history, and more specifically, to keeping the content element or deleting the element based on its relevancy.
The increasing need to receive information quickly and easily has contributed to an increasing use of chat systems during the work day. Today, chats are a common way to communicate with colleagues, either to get information an employee requires to perform a certain task, or—on the other side—to break up the monotony of the day with short jokes or topics relating to everyday life. In some work environments, chats have not only enhanced communication by email but in many cases replaced part of the email traffic. Additionally, the chat communication channel is an additional “back channel” in case of telephone conferences.
Typically, chat message exchanges are meant for the actual moment of a chat message. However, often, there is a need to go back and search the history of a chat for certain information exchanged at an earlier time. Typically, such information is buried under longer chat message exchanges, which may include also off-topic messages or messages overlapping with other message topics. There are cases in which the chat history may be saved for a period of time, after which the chat contributions are lost if a user has not saved content in another file for longer term storage.
Storing chat contributions over an unlimited or undefined time may require too much storage space at the chat system server and/or a local device. Also, because of the irrelevant private, everyday life chat contributions, a lot of storage space may be consumed to only save some longer term relevant information which may have a longer term business value for one or more users.